Smith offered post as England backs coach

Former Ireland international and current London Irish Director of Rugby Brian Smith has been offered the post to coach the England backs.

He guided The Exiles to their first Heineken Cup semi-final this year and has one year left to run on his contract at Sunbury.

London Irish Chairman Andrew Coppel has taken exception to the interest from England in a carefully worded statement.

"We are aware of Brian Smith's ambitions to further his career at international level at some point in the future.

"However, he is contracted to London Irish for another year and our intention is that the contract will be honoured.

"Two weeks ago the club received an official approach about Brian Smith from the Rugby Football Union (RFU), verbally through its Director of Elite Rugby. The club's Board considered the request and rejected it.

"Under various codes of conduct governing both the RFU and clubs, any approach to a player or coach who has more than six months remaining on his contract, is expressly forbidden unless the club concerned gives its consent. London Irish has given no such consent to the RFU with regard to Brian Smith."